Recording device.



L. K. COSGROVE. RECORDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-20 ISJII.

l ,3U2,3 1 5 Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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LEORA K. cosenovn, or BILLINGS, MONTANA.

RECORDING DEVICE.

Toall whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, LEORA K. Coscnovn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Billings, in the county of Yellowstone and State of Montana, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Recording Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to recording devices for use in connection with dispensing vessels for the sale of liquids in predetermined bulk or quantity, and the invention is especially adapted for use. in connection with such dispensing apparatususually employed in the sale of gasolene. The primary object of the invention is the provision of a recording device, actuated bythe operation of the dispensing apparatus, for indicating and recording the quantity of liquid dispensed. Thus, when the gasolene dispensing apparatus is equipped with the present invention the recording device will indicate on a tape the quantity of gasolene sold to a customer, and may also indicate the aggregate quantity sold or dispensed.

The invention consists of certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated, constructed and arranged according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. drawings, 7

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a standard form of gasolene dispensing apparatus, with its door open to disclose the device of myv invention applied 1n operative position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the device of the invention, the side plate being removed for convenience of illustration, showing also the rack bar of the gasolene dispensing apparatus and connections.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2

- Fig. 4: is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the top plate of the casing and also a portion of the recording and indicating tape or ribbon with gallon marks indi cated thereon.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the tape or ribbon moving roller or conveyer.

Fig. 6 is a detail View, partly in section showing the compensating device for the winding spool upon which the tape or ribbon is wound.

In the Specification of Letters Patent. Paftgnt ed Apr, 29, 1919,, Application filed August 20, 1917,

Serial No. 187,229.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the invention, a gasolene dispensing apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 1, being of the usual or standard type employed for the automatic sale of gasolene and embodying the usual base 1 and housing 2, and hinged door 3 through which access may be had to the interior of the housing. In Fig. 1 the door is open to disclose the arrangement of the recording device in its relation to the reciprocating plunger 1 of the pump, which plungeris provided with therack bar 5 and is operated by the rack wheel 6 and crank handle 7 the wheel being supported in the post 9. By means of the handle or crank 7 the Wheel is turned and the wheel lifts the rack bar and its plunger to elevate a predetermined quantity of gasolene from the tank so that 'the liquid or gasolene may be dispensed through a nozzle or hose as usual.

The device of the present invention is adapted especially for actuation by the movement of the rack bar of the pump stem or plunger, on its working or up stroke, and the recording mechanism is therefore arranged adjacent the rack bar, in a box or casing 10, preferably of metal, and supported on a ,post or pedestal 11 risingfrom the lower. end of the housing of the dispensing apparatus.

The casing or box is rectangular in shape and has a removable top plate 12 formed with an opening 13 through which the rib bon or tape 14: is visible. Just beneath the opening is a table 15, and the ribbon or tape is designed to pass over this table, so that the table performs the double function of a guiding device for the tape as well as a sup port for the tape when it is desired to write or record thereon any memoranda.

The tape is carried on an unwinding spool 16 whose revoluble shaft 17 is journaled in the removable sides 18 and 19 of the box, the sides being removable in order to give access to the interior of the box. A flat leaf spring 20, fixed to one end of the box is designed to bear upon the shaft 17 of the unwinding spool, and its friction prevents too free movement of the shaft and spool, thus preventing slack of the tape and assisting in maintaining the tape in taut condition.

The tape is wound upon a winding reel 21 which is journaled on its shaft 22 in the sides 18 of the box forward of the table 15 and the tape passes from the unwinding spool over the table to the winding reel 21.

A plate 22 is pivoted on the reel and formed with a notch adapted to fit about a pin 23 on the reel, and this plate, which is preferably of resilient metal, is utilized for attaching the end of the tape to the winding reel. The end of the tape is slipped under the spring plate and held there when the plate is locked by engagement of the notch with the p To compensate for the increasing diameter of the winding reel and the decreasing diameter of the unwinding spool, as the tape is wound upon the winding reel by the action of the dispensing apparatus, I utilize a spring 24. helical in shape and encompassing the end of the shaft of the Winding reel. This spring is frictionally interposed between the gear wheel 25 loose on the shaft 22 of the winding reel, and a disk 26 fixed in the side 18 of the box. The winding reel being tight on the shaft, it will be readily seen that the pressure of the spring will hold the gear against the reel and that friction between the spring, gear wheel, reel and disk will insure rotation of the reel, but at the same time will allow the reel to slip and lose motion when the speed of the winding reel becomes too great, due to the increased diameter of the roll.

The train of gears for actuating the wind ing reel is actuated from the rack bar through the master gear wheel 27 which has a driving ratchet 28 keyed to the shaft 30 and pawl 29 secured to the wheel 27 so that it may drive the shaft 30' in one direction only i. e. the up stroke actuation of the rack bar, and remain idle on the .down stroke of the rack bar. The shaft 30 carries also a small pinion 31 which meshes with a driving gear wheel 32 on the shaft 33 of the roller 34c, which roller has a roughened or corrugated periphery to frictionally engage the underside of the tape, and above the roughened roller a spring pressed friction or guide roller 35 is positioned. The shaft 36 of this roller has journal blocks or bearings 37, movable in the guide bracket 38 against the tension of a spring 89. The tension of the spring may be regulated by a screw or bolt 40, and as there are two of these spring or resilient bearings for the upper roller of this pair, it will be seen that the tape is guided between these rollers 011 its course between the unwinding spool and the winding reel and the motion imparted by the shaft 30 through its train of gears 31 and 32 provides a synchronized movement of the tape 14 in exact relation with the movement of the rack bar by reason of the frictional engagement of the roller 34 with the tape. This constitutes the method of moving the tape to record the amount of fluid issued and is independent of the winding spool which has for its function the rewinding of the used tape. Therefore as the movement of the tape is governed by the movement of the plunger of the pump the size of the roller either decreasing or increasing will not alter Er plrevent an exact record of the dispensed From the above description it will readily be seen that as the rack bar on the pump stem is raised the train of gears is actuated to move the master gear and also the guide rollers, and as the diameter of the winding spool increases and the peripheral speed increases the diiference is compensated for by the frictional arrangement between the spring and gear 25 and the winding reel which is retarded to conform with the travel of the tape. In Fig. 4 markings are inclicated on the tape showing the number of gallons of gasolene that have been taken from the gasolene tank, and these markings are preserved on the wound tape as will be readily understood, to indicate the aggregate quantity of gasolene dispensed. The used tape may be replaced by a new one, and the device may be replenished at will when required.

In a recording device for a dispensing apparatus, the combination with a winding device including a shaft for a winding reel, of a reciprocable rack bar and a train of drivingmechanism including gears as described, a loose gear wheel on said shaft operated by said train of driving mechanism, a housing and a friction spring between the housing and said loose gear wheel.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

LEORA K. COSGROVE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Wuhington, D. U." 

